830 Consecration to the Lord Based on Sacrifice, A Guided Christian Meditation on Luke 2:22-24 with the Recenter With Christ app

830 Consecration to the Lord Based on Sacrifice, A Guided Christian Meditation on Luke 2:22-24 with the Recenter With Christ app

The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in  and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ. 

Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.
 You can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tense or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.
 
Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:
 
Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate.

Scripture for Meditation

ESV
NIV
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

KJV
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Reflection on Scripture:

I almost always record my episodes moments before posting them. If you ever see them posted at 2 or 3 in the morning that is because I just finished editing them. For the last couple weeks I have been sleeping in the desert with my Marines so I pre-recorded the episodes. This year the Christmas season somewhat snuck up on me because of this trip. I slept on the ground and in the cold in the dirt. Each time I am presented with these hardships it makes me so grateful for my blessings. Sometimes the things we do in life can challenge our focus or have us asking why things happen the way they do. From moments of discomfort, grief, anxiety, or temptation sometimes our small human minds find it difficult to feel seen by a perfect on loving God. 

This scripture points out something. The sacrifice for two doves was an option in place of a sheep, which would have cost much more. The sacrifice of two pigeons was known as the offering for the poor. Mary, the mother of Jesus, the very Son of God offered the sacrifice of the poor. She and Joseph must have had very little by way of earthly assets. With that said, this was far from a judgment about their quality. Our struggles serve us well when they draw our attention to the Lord and our dependance on Him. 

When hardship turns our focus to God and makes us more grateful, then that hardship becomes a blessing. Mary’s poverty existed conjointly with her humility. Whatever you wished your life would have been, whatever you wished would be different about your family, or this season, or any other earthly outcome it does not change God’s profound love. Actually if our human weaknesses point our focus to God then we are indeed blessed. Thank God for our struggle, may it ever draw our focus to Him. During this Christmas, don't focus on what made this season incomplete, allow any challenge to draw your attention to the one who redeems all. He has overcome the world, and as such so will we. Merry Christmas. God bless us, every one.  

Meditation of Prayer:

Pray as directed by the Spirit.

Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him.

Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:

I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials.

Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life:

This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast

Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind? 

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